Comparative assessment of screening techniques under pot and field conditions for waterlogging tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.) inbreds

Waterlogging (WL) stress is a major limitation to maize productivity and the development of efficient and reliable screening methods is essential for breeding WL-resilient hybrids. The present study compared pot and field-based screening approaches to evaluate their effectiveness and complementarity in assessing WL tolerance. For this, 154 F₂₃ lines derived from WL tolerance and WL susceptible crosses were evaluated in waterlogged pots and the field for six days. WL treatment was given at V_3-5 stage in the pot experiment and the knee height stage in the field experiment. In the pot experiment, root and shoot parameters were recorded to capture early-stage physiological responses, while in the field; yield and yield-related traits were assessed. Results indicated that pot screening was more resource-efficient, less time-consuming, and effective in rapidly differentiating genotypes based on root and shoot traits. In contrast, field screening, though more labor-intensive, provided realistic insights into genotypic performance under actual stress environments. Both approaches showed consistent trends across genotypes, confirming the effectiveness of pot-based screening for field performance. The study highlights the complementary benefits of these methods and emphasizes the advantage of combining them to strengthen breeding strategies. Such approaches are vital for developing climate-resilient maize hybrids and sustaining productivity in waterlogged environments.